We get a lot of questions at the bakery, and it seems like one question in particular is getting more and more common. "Which bread should I use to make french toast?" I always recommend the Country Bread. It's hearty enough to soak up a lot of custard and still be chewy. Plus the tartness of the sourdough makes a delicious counterpoint to the sweetness of the syrup and whatever other toppings you desire. This bread is not merely a blank slate or a vehicle for other flavors. It is an ingredient all to itself, and it quietly insists that you notice it.

By far my favorite french toast recipe comes from the book Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson. This is the book that taught me how to make bread, and I come back to it again and again. So I thought I would share the recipe with you. It takes time to let the custard soak into the bread, but it is well worth the wait. The addition of lemon zest to the recipe also makes it stand out an all-time favorite. The recipe that follows is (almost) word for word from the book. Enjoy!

To make the custard base, in a bowl, stir together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, salt, and milk.

Place the bread slices in the custard base and let stand until the bread is saturated, about 1 hour (although you could let it soak overnight in the fridge so you don't have to wake up so early to make this for breakfast).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a skillet (I like to use cast-iron) over medium-low heat. Melt the butter to coat the bottom of the pan. Lift each bread slice from the custard base and place in the pan. Cook the slices for about 3 minutes, occasionally pressing them against the bottom of the pan with a spatula so the bottoms cook evenly. This step seals the bottoms of the slices by cooking the outer layer of custard base. It also prepares the bread for receiving more custard base.

Spoon or ladle more custard base into the center of each bread slice. If the liquid leaks out of the bread and onto the skillet, the bread slices are not quite sealed. Continue cooking for 1 minute, pressing the slices slightly to seal. When the slices are full of custard base, carefully transer the skillet to the middle rack of the oven. Do not turn the toast.

Bake the slices for 12 to 15 minutes and then gently shake the pan. If the custard base is still liquid, continue baking and check again. Depending on the thickness of the slices, the custard may take up to 20 minutes to cook all the way through. The French toast is done when the custard seems solid and each slice appears inflated, as the custard soufflés when fully cooked.

Using the spatula, remove the French toast from the skillet and place them, caramelized-side up onto plates. Serve with your favorite maple syrup and sides.To make the custard base, in a bowl, stir together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, salt, and milk.

Place the bread slices in the custard base and let stand until the bread is saturated, about 1 hour (although you could let it soak overnight in the fridge so you don't have to wake up so early to make this for breakfast).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a skillet (I like to use cast-iron) over medium-low heat. Melt the butter to coat the bottom of the pan. Lift each bread slice from the custard base and place in the pan. Cook the slices for about 3 minutes, occasionally pressing them against the bottom of the pan with a spatula so the bottoms cook evenly. This step seals the bottoms of the slices by cooking the outer layer of custard base. It also prepares the bread for receiving more custard base.

Spoon or ladle more custard base into the center of each bread slice. If the liquid leaks out of the bread and onto the skillet, the bread slices are not quite sealed. Continue cooking for 1 minute, pressing the slices slightly to seal. When the slices are full of custard base, carefully transer the skillet to the middle rack of the oven. Do not turn the toast.

Bake the slices for 12 to 15 minutes and then gently shake the pan. If the custard base is still liquid, continue baking and check again. Depending on the thickness of the slices, the custard may take up to 20 minutes to cook all the way through. The French toast is done when the custard seems solid and each slice appears inflated, as the custard soufflés when fully cooked.

Using the spatula, remove the French toast from the skillet and place them, caramelized-side up onto plates. Serve with your favorite maple syrup and sides.

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I love French toast so much. I could eat it every day if my mom would allow it. Your way of cooking it is different from my mom’s recipe. Though I love my mom’s recipe I would like to try yours I think it is also yummy. I will ask my mom to try it. I hope she agrees with my suggestion so that I could try a different French toast from my mom’s. But anyway thank you for sharing it with us and may your bakeshop be more successful.